Hope in the Cities

multimedia, photography, documentary

Hope in the Cities, a program of Initiatives of Change, has been central to the historic and social transformation of Richmond, VA over the last 25 years. In both prominent and behind-the-scenes efforts, Hope in the Cities has brought together residents of the region to discuss and take action on healing the history of the Capital of the Confederacy, education reform, jurisdictional cooperation and unpacking the realities of the census. Hope in the Cities' commitment to, and impact in, Richmond has served as an example and resource to a number of other cities throughout the U.S. and globally. My work with Hope in the Cities through the years has spanned a range of formats - video, multimedia, still imaging, branding, design and panel moderation.

I created the following two pieces from script to screen. Working with Hope in the Cities to identify the key storytellers, I wrote interview questions, conducted and filmed the interviews and supporting footage, wrote the script and edited the video.

Hope in the Cities: Calling Richmond Home (video short - 2013) speaks to the impact of the organization in Richmond, VA and draws from the experiences of leaders from throughout the community.

defining: Hope in the Cities (promo video - 2013) is a video short utilizing footage shot for the longer piece Calling Richmond Home.

Healing History: Memory, Legacy and Social Change - still images - April 2015

This international conference, underwritten in part by the Kellogg Foundation, was attended by racial healing and equity practitioners, scholars, grassroots leaders, students and representatives from business and government who discussed how to heal history, understand the legacies that keep us apart and generate energy for building healthy inclusive societies.

My photographic coverage included plenary sessions, a variety of working groups, historic tours and candid, relationship-building moments. The images were used for illustration in the conference report, web articles and populating the archive. My coverage of Hope in the Cities' events draws on my ability not only to see and capture the "big picture", but also to be aware of and accessible to more intimate moments in a discrete and discerning way.

Slave Trail - Still Images - June 2009 & November 2013

Richmond's slave trail traces the path slaves would have been forced to walk upon docking on the James River. It is an experience that binds together education, immersion and healing.

Reconciliation Triangle Statue Unveiling - Still Images - March 2007

The unveiling of a statue to mark the slave trade between Richmond, VA, Liverpool, England and Benin in West Africa. Matching statues were unveiled in the other two locales. The event included political and cultural leaders from the former three ports of trade.

Healing The Heart of America - 30-minute documentary, June 1993. In June 1993, citizens of Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy, initiated Healing the Heart of America: An honest conversation on race, reconciliation and responsibility. Joined by people from 50 cities around the U.S. and the world, they gave recognition to unacknowledged sites and events in the 370-year history of black-white relations. This documentary continues to be used around the world by communities grappling with how to effectively heal their own history. It is available on YouTube or for purchase from Hope in the Cities.

I served as the producer/director, field interviewer and co-scriptwriter of this production.

The Trust Factor - conference logo design - June 2009

I worked with conference organizers to title the conference and design the text logo.